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Blatter's appeal will be heard by Fifa's appeals commission just 10 days before the extraordinary congress in Zurich on February 26th when a vote will be held to appoint a new president of world football's governing body.

Blatter's hearing is scheduled 24 hours after that of fallen Uefa president Michel Platini, who is also appealing against his eight-year suspension.

Both Blatter and Platini were banned for eight years on December 21st over a two-million-franc ($2 million) payment that Blatter authorized for Platini in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.

Fifa's ethics committee said it would appeal against the sentence saying it is too lenient.

Anti-corruption investigators had originally sought a life ban from all football activity against Blatter and Platini.

Depending on the Fifa judges' verdict, both men could take their respective cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, the highest tribunal in sports.

Blatter, who has headed Fifa since 1998, has spoken of his wish to preside at the upcoming presidential election, in which Platini was seen as the favourite to succeed the Swiss before the scandal erupted.

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